Wire splicer



H. RUSKIN WIRE SPLIGER Feb. 27, 1940.

INVENT OR. Henry Ruskin ATTORN HIS Filed Oct. 19, 1936 Patented Feb. 27, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to splicing devices, and more particularly to a novel means for splicing electric cables and conductors having a plurality of individual conductors.

A further and yet more specific object of the invention the provision of splicing means in the form of a flat sheet of insulating or dielectric material having an adhesive surface, and a partition formation positionable between the spliced parts of the conductors of the cable and adapted to be rolled around the main cable portions, with the said partition separating the spliced conductors and the adhesive portions of the sheetlike member securing the same about the cable in the form of a sleeve.

Additional novel features of construction and function of the invention will appear in view of the following detailed description taken together with the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the novel splice or sheath in its extended form prior to application:

Fig. 2 is a perspective similar to Fig. 1. showing the spliced conductors and cable in position preliminary to the formation of the sleeve;

Fig. 3 is a section along lines 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the splice and cables of Fig. 2. with the splicing sleeve or sheath partially rolled or formed on the cable;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section along lines 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective of the spliced cable of Figs. 2 and 4, with the sheath or sleeve completely formed and secured about the cable;

Fig. 7 is a section through the cable along lines L4 of Fig. 6:

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a rubber blank;

Fig. 9 a section of the sleeve applied to an oval cable.

invention is particularly useful in splicing electrical conductors of the type having a pair of conductors embedded in a cable or conduit jacket such as shown in Fig. 2 herein. However, it is emphatically to be understood that the novel splicing device is applicable to practically any type of multiple conductor cable and may as readily be used with the common or twisted light cord type of conductor as with the embedded type of conductor shown for purposes of illustration in the drawing herewith.

A preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in Fig. 1. comprises a base member or sheet I! having an upper surface l2 treated with an adhesive. The cloth sheet Ill may be an impregnated cambrlc or Empire cloth, or any desired flexible material impervious to moisture and suitable as a base for the adhesive material. The desirability of the material of which sheet I0 is formed is further enhanced if it is characterized by a high dielectric constant.

Secured to the adhesive side of the sheet I0 is a second sheet generally indicated at H, of an insulating substance such as live rubber, and provided with a centrally located upstanding partition member l6 adapted to serve as a separator ill for the spliced conductors.

In the form shown in Fig. 1, the insulating sheet I4 comprises an H-shaped strip of live rubber having two leg sections l8 and 20, the former having a beveled edge I9 along one of its ll longitudinal sides and having inner longitudinal edge portions l'l fitted snugly against corresponding inner edge portions 2| of the other leg 20, the underside of the latter also having its outermost lower edge portion 22 beveled similarly to the edge 20 I9 of its companion leg l6. The beveled edge 22, however, extends beyond the edge 33 of the base sheet Ill.

The spacing partition I6 is formed by the crossbar l6 of the rubber H-blank H (as in Fig. 8) 26 and is protruded upwardly from the center of the sheet or blank II when the legs or vertical sides 20' of the latter are closed-in and adhered to the base sheet ID as in the finished product shown in Fig. l.

The material of which the insulating sheet H (or H) is formed is preferably that of live rubber, or a similarly tacky substance of high dielectric strength.

The splice or sheath as shown in Fig. 1, is in :m condition for application to a spliced cable, and as shown in Fig. 2 this cable may comprise two joined sections 24 and 26, each having a pair of conductors 23, 25 and 21, 26, joined together in the usual manner, the cable body surrounding these conductors being in this instance rubber. When the slice is made, the novel sheath is applied as shown in Fig. 2 with the partition [6 inserted between the spliced conductor pairs and portions extending beyond the splice in both directions to embrace the respective cable ends 24 and 26 preparatory to rolling or forming the sleeve.

With the spliced cables and the sheath in the condition of Fig. 2, the next step is the folding over of the right-hand portion 20 onto the cables 24 and 26 with the beveled edge 22 in approximately the position shown in Fig. 4, whereupon the left-hand portion of the sheath may be folded onto the right-hand portion, as seen in Fig. 4, so u as to bring the beveled edge I l in substantially overlying position respective to the edge 22 and, finally, the exposed adhesive portion of the base sheet [0 may be pressed against the outer surface of the now cyllndrically formed sheath or sleeve, and the adhesive substance 12 thereof will securely hold the latter in formedcondition as shown in Fig, 6.

As previously explained, the splicing sleeve may be used with practically any type of conducting cable, but where such cable is the rubber covered type illustrated in the drawing, it will be apparent that the tacky rubber material of which the insulating sheets I. and 20 are formed will cohere with the rubber of the cable, thus providing additional security and completely sealing off the splice;

It will be obvious that the sheets Ill and I4, together with the beveled edge portions l9 and 22, may be variously dimensioned to accommodate a wide range of cable diameters and shapes, and in Fig. 9, for example, the sleeve is shown conformed with an oval shaped cable.

The preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated herein for purposes of description and explanation is apparently susceptible of variation without departing from the scope of the in: vention, and it is my desire to avail myself of all of the modifications, variations, and applications of the invention coming within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A splicing sheath for use with electrical cables and comprising a base sheet of non-conductive material having an adhesive surface,.a sheet of insulating material adheslvely joined with said base sheet and having beveled edge portions on opposite sides thereof, together with an integrally extended body portion adapted to fit between spliced conductors of the cable and the said base sheet and insulating sheet thereon being adapted to be folded about the cable with the said beveled edge portions in substantially confronting relation, and an adhesive portion of said base sheet being adapted to be adhesively secured to itself to form a sleeve about the cable.

2. A cable sheath comprising a substantially flat body member formed of a base sheet of flexible non-conductive material having an adhesive surface and an H-shaped sheet of live rubber adhered to the adhesive surface of said base sheet with the legs of the H drawn edgewise toward one another so as to cause the cross-bar portion thereof to extend upwardly to form an insulating spacer for spliced conductors, and the said base sheet having an exposedadhesivesurfaoe adapted to be adhered with other parts of the sheath when the same is formed about a cable.

3. As an article of manufacture, an insulating sheath for spliced conductors comprising a substantially fiat body member adapted to be folded about the spliced parts of a conductor, the said body member being formed of a base sheet of non-conductive flexible material having a surface provided with an adhesive coating, and a second sheet of insulating material secured to the adhesive surface of said base sheet and having a first edge portion spaced inwardly of and substantially parallel to a corresponding edge portion of said base sheet, the said first edge portion being beveled, and said second sheet having a second edge portion extended beyond the underlying edge of said base sheet and being beveled on the side of said second sheet opposite to said first-mentioned beveled edge thereof, the said second sheet having an upstanding portion adapted to form a partition within said sheath when the'body member is formed about a conductor as aforesaid.

4. A splicing sheath comprising a base sheet of impregnated cloth having a surface treated with an adhesive substance, and an H-shaped sheet of live rubber secured upon said adhesively treated surface in a manner to leave a portion of the same exposed and to bring the inner edge portions of the long sides of the H into confronting relation so as to cause the cross-bar part of the H to be extended in a direction outwardly of the plane of said joined sheets.

5. A splicing sheath comprising a base sheet of insulating material provided with an adhesive coating on one side, a second sheet of insulating material substantially of the same shape and size as said base sheet and adapted to adhere to the latter by engagement with said adhesive coating, said second sheet being disposed in offset position on said base sheet so as to leave exposed a portion of the adhesive coating along one edge region of the base sheet, said second sheet being provided with a protuberance projecting out of the plane thereof and adapted to be inserted between conductors, and the remaining portions of the base and second sheet being adapted to be folded around said conductors, the exposed adhesive portion of the base sheet being adapted to be adhered to other portions of the folded members to secure the same in folded condition about the conductors.

HENRY RUSKIN. 

